Former Soviet dissident takes tough line on Gaza

Jonathan Curiel, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published
4:00 am PDT, Friday, April 16, 2004

Ignoring the pleas of Ariel Sharon, Israeli Cabinet member Natan Sharansky said Thursday that he would try to derail the prime minister's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.

Sharansky, the former Soviet dissident, said Israel should maintain settlements and troops in those territories until Palestinian authorities prove they can contain terrorist attacks against Israel.

"When we're in the middle of this war against terror, dismantling Jewish settlements and delivering them to (Yasser) Arafat will not have any other effect except encouraging more terror," Sharansky said in an interview. "When we have a real process of peace, of course we will leave (the Gaza Strip) and other places -- but not the way it is being (proposed) now."

Sharansky, who spoke with Sharon by telephone earlier in the day, represents a bloc of hard-line Israeli officials who oppose Sharon's disengagement plan, which was publicly endorsed Wednesday by President Bush.

On one issue, however, Sharansky and Sharon agree: East Jerusalem should remain a permanent part of Israel, even though it was captured from Jordan in the 1967 war and is considered by Palestinians to be their future capital.

"The city of Jerusalem, whose history is at least 3,000 years, changed many hands. ... But during all the history of many countries that were there, it was the capital of only one country in ancient and modern times -- Israel, " Sharansky said. "It's important that a united Jerusalem will remain Israel's eternal capital."

Sharansky spent eight years in Soviet jails before an international campaign on his behalf persuaded Soviet authorities to release him in 1986, after which he immigrated to Israel. In 1995, he formed the Yisrael b'Aliyah party, whose election gains led to his appointment as minister of industry and trade. He has since held a number of positions, including his current title of minister for Jerusalem and diaspora affairs.

Sharansky was visiting San Francisco as part of a speaking tour of California universities. Wednesday, he addressed an audience at Stanford, and today, he will talk to students at UC Berkeley. Thursday, he met with San Francisco State students and administrators, though his 8 p.m. public lecture was canceled because Sharansky is escorted by security guards who carry weapons. Sharansky said San Francisco State officials wouldn't allow the weapons on campus.